Sebastian Pons

Like most transplants, Sebastian Pons turns to his homeland for inspiration. Fortunately for the Majorca-born designer, he's got a rich heritage, much of which made its way into his spring collection. Pons called the show El Dorado, a reference both to the mythical paradise and to the New World, "where people came to find their dreams, fall in love, mix their cultures," he said afterward.

His personal paradise was a veritable United Nations of references, including everything from white linen peasant dresses, tiered and trimmed with eyelet and ribbon; little flamenco minis, cut tight and ruffled along the erogenous zones; cowboy-tinged shirts and pants; and jackets and trousers made from bulky fabrics printed to resemble checkered tablecloths or mattress stripes. It was a cheerful romp through Pons' vivid imagination, but a few more simple lookssuch as the lovely hand-painted white silk dress or the belted coat in a blue Chinese motifwould have given the idealistic collection a needed dose of reality.